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Rose Heichelbech

It’s a common mistake- dishes that we often think are Italian are actually nowhere to be found if you were to look for them in Italy. These unique American dishes were developed over time by Italian immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries as they adjusted to different ingredients and a different culture. Dishes that had once been small portions or been vegetarian morphed into the meat-filled dishes we know and love so much today.

John Marzetti

This dish has many names, like American chop suey and American goulash. But, the most common origin story goes that Teresa Marzetti named the dish for her brother-in-law and served it often to the college kids who frequented her flagship restaurant in Columbus, OH. The popular dish spread across the Midwest and soon became the comfort food of choice for many of us. Get the recipe right here.

Stromboli

The iconic Midwestern sandwich has been a lunchtime favorite for decades. You won’t find many nearly so many kinds of sandwiches in Italy, but the U.S. lunch standard is just a bit different. While the flavors are certainly Italian in nature, the dish is often served as a roll or a sandwich, with hearty amounts of cheese. This yummy sandwich is said to have been named after the Rossellini film, Stromboli which is in turn named for the island in Italy.

Italian Beef

The Chicago classic has Italian right in the name and is rumored to have originated among the Italian immigrants who worked the shipyards. But, as with so many other Italian-American foods, it was born not exactly from tradition, but from necessity. One story goes that the workers would bring home the tougher and less desirable cuts of beef, while another claims that thinly-sliced beef covered in au jus and served on rolls was the Italian-American way to make a wedding feast feed as many people as possible.

Chicken Parmesan

The famous eggplant parmesan was created and was a favorite in many households as part of a cannon of recipes that contained little to no meat. It was only after arriving in the U.S. that many Italians found themselves able to afford meat and thus they adapted recipes they had been using their whole lives to suit the new environment. You can find a superb recipe for chicken parmesan right here.